Canola Could Reduce Oil Imports

According to Turkish Statistical Institute data, 121,542 tonnes of canola were harvested from 349,891 decares under cultivation in Türkiye last year. Approximately 64 per cent of the crop, totalling 77,893 tonnes, was grown in Thrace. Tekirdağ leads canola production in the region, followed by Edirne and Kırklareli. Yalçın Kaya, Head of the Genetics and Bioengineering Department at Trakya University, commented on the subject: "It is an excellent pollen source for both bees and insects. Another point that highlights canola is that it is harvested early. It is the crop planted in October and harvested earliest. For farmers it is a product they can sell directly for cash, the first product they can sell and receive payment for. From this perspective, canola is genuinely a crop that must have a place in our region," he said. Noting that the plant has 45-50 per cent or even higher oil content per unit area, Kaya added: "When you obtain around 450-500 kilograms per decare from canola, it is the crop from which we obtain the most oil per unit area. From this perspective, it could be a solution to our imports, which currently cost the country 3-4 billion dollars annually. It is a crop that should be present as animal feed, meal and seed. One of the most important points is our country's oil deficit. Currently, particularly due to rising prices of vegetable oils worldwide, prices have increased. In this respect, contributing to domestic production in our country is extremely important. For this reason, canola must definitely become more widespread in the Thrace Region," he said. Source: AA